Adelaide Pratt (No 1)
by SouthernBlossom
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Addy is a force to be reckoned with, but when she discovers a secret her mother has managed to keep hidden from her until now, her world is turned upside down. Rated T for possible spanking of minors.
1. Chapter 1

Fingers barely touched the keys as they slid gracefully back and forth across the keyboard. The owner of those fingers, a girl a mere months shy of fifteen, sat cross-legged in the plush chair, her sparkly purple computer open on her lap. Several windows on the screen competed for her attention, but it was the sudden appearance of a familiar vehicle on a video feed that briefly won out.

Smiling to herself, Addy opened a new window to check her Facebook. A dozen notifications popped up – mainly friends who had reacted to her most recent status update or had tagged her on another post.

Less than a minute later, she heard the front door open and close as heels gently tapped against the floor.

"Hi, Mom," she called out, her eyes still glued to the computer screen.

A brief silence ensued before the clicking heels doubled in speed. In moments, Addy spotted a figure in her peripheral vision. She turned from her screen to give her mother her full attention, at least for the moment.

"Addy?" the woman sputtered. It was rare for anything to catch Madeline Pratt by surprise, and Addy found the expression on her mom's face just then decidedly delicious. "What… how… what are you doing here?!"

"I missed you too," Addy smirked, choosing that moment to casually return to the technology before her.

Within seconds, the laptop was plucked from her lap. Instead of being frustrated, though, Addy glanced up at her mother in amusement.

"You are supposed to be at school… in Brighton," Madeline said, trying to be stern with one hand on her hip as the other held the laptop tucked under her arm, but still feeling a bit flustered. Being stern had never been her forte. "How on earth did you travel nearly 4,000 miles alone?"

"There's this fabulous invention called an airplane," quipped Addy.

"Adelaide Pratt."

Addy rolled her eyes lightly. The rebuke didn't hold nearly the punch she knew her mother wished it did. "I don't like Brighton. The other kids are entirely too uppity for my liking. I want to go to school here in the states."

"I can't believe they just let you leave…" Madeline huffed. She knew her daughter was a handful, but she paid a great deal of money to ensure that Addy attended a school that could handle her. "They assured me that their security was the best in the U.K. I promise you, once I'm through with the headmaster…"

She cut her mom off before the tirade could continue. "As far as they know, you wanted me to come home for a while." At Madeline's raised eyebrow, Addy shrugged. "I've been able to sign your name since I was eight. Anyway, as usual a driver came to collect me, so who were they to question it?"

Madeline tiredly massaged her forehead with her hand. "And the plane ticket?"

"A donation from a friend, one of a handful of other kids there who weren't complete twits."

She might not be the stern parent, but Madeline wasn't a fool. Holding out her free hand, she gave her daughter an expectant look. "Hand it over."

Reaching into the bag beside her, Addy pulled out a passport, placing it in Madeline's hand. She watched as Madeline scanned the small book. "Amelia Renaldo? Really?"

"No one batted an eye," Addy replied with a shrug. It had been a bit of a surprise, to be honest. She'd been sure that someone would recognize the name – or partial name, anyway. "I suspected Thermopolis might attract attention, so I went for the original. It's not my fault none of them have heard of the _Princess Diaries_ books."

Madeline snapped the passport shut and attempted a stern look. "Consider yourself grounded. Your laptop is mine until further notice."

At that proclamation, Addy fought the urge to roll her eyes again. It was almost cute that her mother was trying to discipline her, but the last time she'd been "grounded" it had lasted all of thirty-eight hours before Madeline had relented. Addy knew it was far easier for her mom to give into her than to hold her accountable. She wondered how long Madeline would last this time before caving.

"Okay, Mom. I understand. I'll just head up to my room then."

Bouncing to her feet and slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Addy reached over to give Madeline a hug before all but skipping up to her room. Being grounded was just short of a death sentence for some teens, but it was hardly a hiccup as far as Addy was concerned. Entering her room for the first time in months, she locked the door behind her before walking over to her bookshelf. She pressed a hidden button and watched as the bookshelf slowly swung out to reveal a large wall safe – a present one of her friends here at home had installed the last time Madeline had gone to an event for the evening while Addy had been home.

Pressing her hand against the touch screen, Addy keyed in her four-digit code and watched in satisfaction as the safe door opened. She wasted little time in removing another laptop, this one gray, along with the power cord. Setting these items on her backpack, Addy pulled several more passports from her backpack and placed them gently inside the safe. She wasn't sure whether her mother suspected she might have other fakes, but she hadn't asked for them, so Addy wasn't about to volunteer that information.

Another push of the button and the bookcase slowly returned to its original position. Satisfied, Addy grabbed her laptop and plugged it in behind her desk, slipping the electronic device into a hidden crevice where Madeline was unlikely to spot it. Even if she wouldn't be grounded for long, Addy didn't want to be completely without access to her friends. Also, now that she'd made it home, she had to figure out how to convince her mother to let her attend a school closer to home.

She knew there had to be private schools in New York that could meet Madeline's seal of approval, but working out an escape plan on another continent hadn't left much time for other research. Addy supposed it would be a step up even if her mom sent her to a boarding school elsewhere in the U.S., but honestly she didn't see why she needed to be at a boarding school at all. Sure, her mother was a prominent member of the New York elite, and Addy had discovered Madeline's less-than-legal side business several years prior, but it wasn't as if she needed to be hidden away like some royal heir. Whenever home, Addy had a bodyguard, though Madeline had yet to find one who could last longer than a month (something Addy took great pride in, thank you very much). Considering the fact that _she_ wasn't that important, Addy couldn't figure out why her mom went to so much trouble.

Addy unlocked her door and grabbed a book from the bookcase before stretching out on her bed. Though the book was one of her favorites, she barely registered the words on the page as her mind began working out a plan to stay.

* * *

"Your new bodyguard will be here in an hour."

Addy rolled her eyes, hands cradling a cup of earl grey as she glanced across the kitchen at Madeline. "I don't know why you bother. I'm not some high-value princess or celebrity who needs protection from the wackos."

"You know that when you aren't safely away at school you have a bodyguard," Madeline said, spreading jam on a piece of toast. "It isn't negotiable."

It was one of the few things Madeline wouldn't budge on, despite Addy's best attempts. She could never understand why her mother, who couldn't maintain a parental air most of the time, would keep up this ridiculous insistence. "He won't last long," Addy reminded her. "They never do."

Madeline managed a semi-stern glare that surprised Addy, though the teen managed not to let it show. "You will not run this one off like you have the others."

"You're being ridiculous, Mom."

"His name is Harrison, and he'll accompany you whenever you leave the house. He'll also be here tomorrow night while I'm at a charity gala."

Addy perked at once, her interest piqued at the revelation. "You're going to a gala tomorrow night? I want to go."

Her mother chuckled softly. "You're grounded."

"It's not like it's a party with kids my age. I'll probably be the only person under twenty-one at this thing."

Madeline raised an eyebrow. "That's another excellent reason for you to stay home. You're making my argument for me, Addy."

"I'm nearly fifteen," she reminded her mom. "It isn't as if no one knows that I exist, and if you keep me hidden away while I'm home people might start to talk. Besides, I'm sure you're allowed a plus one, and it isn't as if you have a date for this thing."

"What makes you think I don't… you know what? I don't want to know. The answer is no."

'No' might mean the end of the conversation for other kids, but for Addy it was a challenge. She wracked her brain for any sort of leverage that might help her achieve her goal. After another irritated thought of which burly oaf her mom might have hired to 'protect' her this time, the solution hit her like a lightning bolt. "I'll make you a deal," she said, staring seriously at her mother.

Another raised eyebrow, but Madeline nonetheless gave Addy her undivided attention. "What deal would that be?"

"I attend this gala with you tomorrow night, and in return I'll cooperate with Harrison for the next week."

Madeline's look of disbelief was all Addy needed to know she'd won. "You'll cooperate," Madeline repeated slowly. "You mean you'll follow his directions and stop with the escape artist attempts?"

'Attempts' was misleading, Addy thought, as she was nearly always successful, but she didn't think it would help her case to point that out. "Yes," she agreed.

Madeline was silent for several long moments. "A month," she countered. "You'll cooperate with Harrison for the next month."

A month was much longer than Addy wanted to tolerate someone following her around, but she _really_ wanted to go to the gala. She was sure she'd be the youngest person there, but people-watching (people-analyzing, really) was one of her favorite hobbies. Besides being an excuse to get out of the house, the gala would also be an excuse for a new dress, new shoes, and a spa day. Her girly-girl side couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Addy supposed she could wait a month before running Harrison off as she had all his predecessors. She gave her mom a small nod of agreement. "Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

Harrison, it turned out, was a twenty-year-old taking a year off from college to 'discover himself'. He was the youngest and, by far, the most _attractive_ bodyguard Addy had ever had. She'd never felt so torn – on one hand, she was cursing herself for agreeing not to give the guy a hard time for a month, but on the other hand, Addy was secretly thrilled to have an excuse to keep him around at least a little while longer without arousing her mother's suspicion. It wasn't as if she expected anything to happen – he was more than five years her senior and she was jailbait – but she couldn't completely quell the crush she had for him.

As Addy had expected, Madeline allowed her a shopping day in spite of her grounding. Holding true to her promise, Addy allowed Harrison to follow her around without so much as a complaint. She was sure he must find visiting store after store boring, but if he did, he didn't show it.

They were presently on their way to the third store of the morning, the previous two stores failing to have anything Addy loved. Harrison was seated in the back behind Madeline's driver, Ben, while Addy occupied the rear passenger seat. Thus far, Harrison hadn't said more than a greeting when he first arrived at the house and basic directions as Addy shopped. Addy decided it was time to break the ice. It would be a really long month if she was going to spend most of her time with Harrison in silence.

"So, what made you decide to become a bodyguard?" she asked him out of the blue. She noticed he seemed surprised by her question, or maybe by the fact that she was even speaking to him. "I mean, no offense, but you aren't at all like the bodyguards my mom has hired in the past."

Harrison shrugged. "It seemed like an interesting opportunity. What were the other bodyguards like?"

"Forty-something, ex-military, burly…" She refrained from using 'oaf' to describe them, at least to Harrison.

"Your mother mentioned that none of your previous bodyguards stayed for long. Am I correct in assuming that you had something to do with that?"

She hadn't been sure how much her mom had shared with him, or what he would be willing to share. "It's a distinct possibility," Addy said casually. She'd never admitted as much to any of the other men, but then again, it had been her plan from day one to chase each of them away as quickly as possible. Perhaps the fact that she'd promised not to do so this time around, at least for an extended period of time, was encouraging her to open up a little more. "She won't even tell me why she's so insistent about this bodyguard thing, though. I'm not a princess or a duchess or anything like that. I'm not the daughter of some high-placed diplomat or politician or celebrity. My mom is just _rich_. I have plenty of other friends from affluent families who don't have bodyguards."

"Rich and well known," amended Harrison. "I don't want to scare you, but there are people out there who would kidnap you to extort money out of your mom. Having extra protection for you isn't unreasonable."

Addy shook her head, unperturbed. "I'm not scared."

"So, why are you telling me all of this?" he asked. "I would have thought you would be looking for ways to shorten my employment as well."

"Normally I would," agreed Addy. "However, I made a deal with Mom to be able to attend this gala with her tonight. I agreed to be… _cooperative_ … for at least the next month."

"Hmm. This gala must be something special for you to make such a concession."

She was beginning to get the impression that Harrison understood her a smidge more than she'd prefer, but she had a month to figure out what she was going to do about him anyway. "What can I say? I'm a girly-girl at heart, and it'll break up the monotony of being grounded."

The revelation seemed to catch Harrison off guard. "According to your mom, you just returned home from school yesterday, and you're already grounded? Should I even ask what you did?"

"You have no idea, do you?" Addy asked in surprise, watching Harrison intently. She was beginning to feel a little sorry for the guy. All of the other bodyguards had been prepped ahead of time, but it seemed her mom had neglected to share a few details with this one. Whether it was a lack of time on Madeline's part or perhaps an attempt to get this one to last longer, Addy couldn't say, but either way she didn't think it was fair to Harrison. Yes, she was going to be an angel for the next thirty-one days, but after that he was fair game. "You deserve to know what you're getting yourself into. I'm 'grounded'," she said, emphasizing the word grounded with finger quotes, "until further notice because I grew tired of my boarding school, so I decided to come home. Of course, that meant forging Mom's signature, securing a driver to transport me to the airport, and flying from Switzerland to New York using a fake passport."

Momentarily stunned, Harrison blinked his eyes in quick succession. "You… uh… _seriously_?"

She shrugged her shoulders unapologetically.

"Wait, why the finger quotes?" Harrison asked once he'd snapped out of his daze.

"The longest I've ever been grounded was four days, and that was for taking Mom's Porsche for a spin around the neighborhood when I was nine." At the dumbfounded expression on Harrison's face, Addy quirked an eyebrow. "Have I scared you yet?"

He pulled himself together. "No," he said assuredly, his confidence catching Addy off guard this just a bit this time. "As you said, you've promised your mother that you'd be on your best behavior for the next month. Despite all of your shenanigans, I have a feeling you don't make empty promises."

As the car pulled in front of the next store, Addy began to wonder if perhaps she'd told Harrison _too_ much.

* * *

Addy smiled politely and reached out to shake the hand of yet another "friend" of her mother's. She had lost count of how many billionaires, politicians, and Hollywood A-listers had approached her in less than an hour. Honestly, it wasn't as if she was some secret love child that no one knew about (well, the love child part was a possibility, since she had yet to discover her biological father's identity). She didn't understand the fascination others held towards her, but she felt like a princess that night, so she would smile and act like she was interested in whatever these people had to say.

Her mom was off somewhere in the grand room, playing the part of a high society lady. Addy didn't mind being left to her own devices. People-watching was so much easier when she didn't have her mother around. The one downside was that she had to be on her best behavior, so the sparkling flutes of champagne on a nearby table were definitely off limits. Instead, Addy headed toward the open bar.

"Just water, please," she told the bartender. She smiled and murmured a word of gratitude as the bartender handed her a glass. She took a sip before glancing at the people on the ballroom floor to her left. She secretly wished she could take a turn or two out on the dance floor, but it wouldn't look appropriate if she were to dance with any of the men she'd met so far. The youngest had been an actor over ten years her senior. Addy could only imagine the scandal that could result from a brief dance, however platonic.

"I must be dreaming, because I cannot possibly be standing in the presence of an angel."

She spun around at the unexpected voice. "Corey?" she asked in surprise. Setting down her water on the counter, she quickly closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around the neck of an attractive boy not much older than her.

"Careful," he murmured in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her close for a hug. "You don't want rumors flying tomorrow that you're my latest conquest."

Addy laughed against his chest. Corey had the reputation of a young Hollywood playboy, which couldn't be further from the truth. It was as if the photographers didn't bother to fact check before printing wild stories about Corey and whichever girl he happened to be talking to at that moment. "The paparazzi are a bunch of idiots." She released her hold on him, taking a half-step back as he did the same. "What are you doing here? I thought you were working out in LA."

"I'm passionate about the environment," Corey admitted. "My publicist is passionate about my image. I feel like I should be asking what you're doing here, though. Last I heard, you were attending a school in Switzerland."

" _Was_ being the key word," clarified Addy. "I didn't want to be there anymore, so I came home."

Corey chuckled knowingly. "How long are you grounded, and how did you manage to convince your mom to let you come in spite of said grounding?"

"Until further notice… or, more likely, tomorrow. You know Mom. As for being here, Mom found another babysitter – er, bodyguard – for me, and I might have promised to be nice to him for a month."

"I don't believe it. _The_ Adelaide Pratt agreed to behave for her bodyguard for a whole _month_?"

"I volunteered for a week. The month was Mom's idea. I really wanted to come here tonight, so I agreed."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. Shall we see what kind of trouble we can get up to?"

Addy pretended to mull that over. "Perhaps," she finally agreed, "but only if you agree to at least once dance."

The young man held out his hand, bowing slightly as Addy placed her hand in his. "Your wish is my command."

* * *

"I'm not going."

Madeline rolled her eyes. She'd expected resistance. "The Winslow School has graciously offered to admit you mid-term and overlook your previous track record."

"My previous track record?" scoffed Addy. "Please. My grades and standardized test scores are impeccable, and I've never been suspended or expelled. Any elite school would kill to have a student like me, even without the sizable donation I know you made to ensure my spot."

"This will be your fourth boarding school in as many years, a fact that makes the best schools hesitant to accept you. Regardless, you have been enrolled at Winslow and start Monday."

"I _told_ you I wanted to attend a school close enough to home that I wouldn't have to be a boarder! There are plenty of elite schools in New York and Connecticut. Why the hell are you sending me all the way to _Virginia_?!"

"Their security is the best out of all of the schools I considered. Harrison will stay in an apartment within a mile of the campus, so he can accompany you whenever you need to leave school property, but he won't need to follow you around at school. You ought to know by now that your safety is my number one priority, Addy."

"I'm safe _here_."

"My decision is final. Saturday we'll drive down to Virginia to get you settled in, and Monday you'll start classes."

Brow furrowed, Addy folded her arms over her chest, stonily glaring at her mother. "If you send me to this school, I will find a way to break out of there, even if it means getting expelled and screwing up my academic record."

Any other parent might take that opportunity to lay down a parental threat or two, but Madeline didn't need to in this case (which was just as well, since she was horrible at carrying through with any punishments she tried to mete out). "I'm fairly certain you won't do any such thing," she said calmly. "For one, you pride yourself on your ability to maneuver around the rules of whatever school you're attending without getting caught. You wouldn't dare allow yourself to be subjected to suspension or expulsion. It's beneath your intelligence and abilities. Also, seeing as how Harrison will be there and the month hasn't passed yet, any time you leave campus it will be with Harrison at your side. You promised as much, and we both know you don't go back on promises like that."

It irritated her when her mother managed to get the upper hand, but Addy couldn't deny the truth in Madeline's words. She absolutely wouldn't allow herself to be subjected to disciplinary measures from any school she attended, and Addy prided herself on her ability to outwit others around her. Of course, there was also the promise she'd made to cooperate with Harrison, and loathe as she was to admit it, Addy agreed that her promise included not going anywhere off campus without Harrison. It appeared, temporarily at least, that she'd been bested. She resolved to spend every free moment coming up with a plan that circumvented these annoying obstacles. In the very least, she'd have to wait until the month passed.

Addy huffed, turning away from her mother to retreat to the comfort of her room. "You could just be honest and admit that you don't want me around," she muttered, stalking toward the stairs.

" _Adelaide Amelia_."

Sighing, she paused a mere feet away from the staircase. It had been a low blow and Addy knew it, but as much as she knew her mom loved her, she couldn't help those feelings of abandonment sometimes. She slowly turned on the spot, noticing the mixture of hurt and exasperation in Madeline's eyes. "I know you love me," Addy told her. "How am I supposed to feel though when the moment I escape from one boarding school you just cart me off to the next one? I haven't spent a school year at home since fifth grade."

"You know my work has me traveling much of the time," Madeline reminded her. "You had a nanny when you were younger, but you're too old for a nanny now and I will not leave you home alone while I'm out of town. It isn't safe."

"We both know you're overreacting," Addy said quietly. "I'm tired. I'm going to go lie down in my room."

Before Madeline could say anything else, Addy spun and wasted no time in ascending the stairs.

* * *

Addy stretched out on her twin bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. Her mom and Harrison had left maybe a half hour ago, and now Addy was once again alone. She had a roommate, but apparently the roommate was out, so they hadn't yet met. Based on previous experiences with roommates and boarding school classmates, the best Addy could hope for was to be able to tolerate whichever girl she had the misfortune of sharing a room with.

The door opened, and Addy sat up, surveying the girl in the doorway. She appeared to be a freshman, but she was curvier than Addy, with a pretty, round face, silky black hair, and warm eyes. "You must be my roommate," she said, rising to her feet. "I'm sorry for crashing your space. I'm sure it was nice having the room to yourself. I'm Addy."

"I'm Harper," the girl said with a smile as she closed the door behind her. "Don't worry about it. I've actually wanted a roommate since the beginning of the school year, so I'm really glad you're here."

She'd perfected her smile over the years, so much so that no one could tell whether she was genuinely happy or just appeasing those around her, but Addy found herself truly happy to meet Harper. They'd just met, but the girl didn't seem to have the same airs the other girls had carried at Addy's previous schools. There was something different about this girl. Maybe the next few weeks wouldn't completely suck.

"I have a feeling we're going to become good friends, Harper."

* * *

As Addy wrapped up her first week at the Winslow School, she had to grudgingly admit that it hadn't been completely awful. Classes had been easy enough – she hadn't missed much, as the curriculum at this school closely aligned to the curriculum at her previous school. So far, her initial assessment of Harper had been correct. The girl was easy to be around. Addy wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that Harper was there on a scholarship and did not come from the elite background that most of the other girls did, but whatever the reason, Addy was glad to know at least one _normal_ person there. As Madeline had promised, Harrison remained off campus, so Addy had only seen him twice when she'd ventured out on shopping sprees. The girl was sure those trips had hardly put a dent in her mother's finances, but it felt supremely satisfying spending Madeline's money in a ridiculous manner.

That Saturday night, Addy was sitting out in the courtyard with Harper, sipping on a warm cup of hot chocolate as the icy winter wind whipped against their faces. She didn't mind the cold so much. The other girls were huddled in their warm dorms, so it was peaceful being outside. It gave Addy the chance to think, even if she wasn't completely alone.

Beside her, Harper rose from the half wall and leaned her head back to get the last of the chocolate from her cup. "Well, I'm officially turning into an icicle. I'm going to head inside. You coming?"

Addy shook her head. "I think I'm going to stay out here a few more minutes. I've got another half hour until curfew."

Smiling, Harper tossed her empty cup in a nearby trashcan. "Don't take too long, or you might freeze out here."

Addy watched her friend retreat to the warmth and comfort of the freshman dorms before closing her eyes and tilting her head back slightly, letting the frigid air blow across her cheeks.

After a few minutes, even Addy had to admit that the chill was becoming too much. She stood, taking another sip of her drink, and began to stroll toward the building she currently called 'home.' Her thoughts wandered to Harrison. She still had over two weeks to go before she could officially ditch him without breaking her promise, but a part of her suspected she might actually feel bad if she pulled a fast one on him like she had the others. Harrison had been cool – as cool as a personal bodyguard could be, she supposed. He hadn't been overbearing at all. In fact, he'd hung back when she'd gone shopping. Being much younger than her previous bodyguards, Addy could easily pass him off as an older brother, so no one even needed to know he'd been hired to protect her. As far as bodyguards went, he didn't suck.

As she lifted the cup to her lips to take another sip, the hairs rose on the back of her neck. Addy glanced around, but in the dark of the night, she couldn't see anything out of place. Instinctively, she picked up her pace as she made a beeline for her dorm. She'd taken a dozen or so steps when rough hands grabbed her from behind, one locking around her chest as the other pressed against her mouth, muffling any sounds she might make. Her cup fell from her hand.

Somehow, she managed to pull a small amount of flesh into her mouth, and Addy bit with all of her might. A deep curse rumbled from the chest pressed against her back, and the hand over her mouth loosened. However, before Addy could so much as scream, something hard struck her temple, and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

When Addy opened her eyes, she found herself slouched in a chair in the middle of a plain room. Her head throbbed. Slowly, she reached up to touch the source of the pain, a feat in itself considering her wrists were bound with duct tape, and winced as the pain doubled upon contact with a sizeable bump.

Careful not to make her head hurt more, she slowly surveyed the room. Aside from her own chair, there was a chair facing hers, a little side table next to the other chair, and a potted plant in one corner. The walls were a soft blue, but devoid of any paintings or other decorations. She couldn't see any windows from where she sat, and there was no sunlight reflecting off the walls across from her, so she ascertained that the room was windowless. There was one door to her left, and next to that door stood a tall muscular man with cocoa skin and dark chocolate eyes. Although his stance was somewhat rigid, there was a kindness in his eyes. He didn't smile, but nonetheless Addy didn't fear him.

The door suddenly opened, and she watched to see who it was, but her body remained otherwise motionless. In walked a man in a well-fitting suit, a topcoat, and a hat. She could see a shadow of short, light brown hair from beneath the hat, and his eyes were green or blue, depending on how the light hit them. What caught Addy's attention the most, however, was the way the man moved – with an air of complete confidence. Even as a smile graced his face, Addy could tell that this man could be extremely dangerous. However, in that moment, despite the restraints and head injury, she wasn't so sure he was dangerous to _her_.

The man by the door leaned over to whisper in this newcomer's ear. Addy watched a hint of anger flash in the new man's eyes before that anger was replaced with concern as the new man turned his full attention to her.

"I apologize for the way my associates manhandled you this evening. Are you all right?"

Should she speak? She was sure her mother would advise her to say as little as possible, but it was so rare that she had the opportunity to engage in a battle of wits with someone who could match her, and she had the feeling this man could. Even if this man intended to harm her, Addy was secure enough in her ability to read people to feel confident that the man by the door, who had remained silent since Addy awoke, wouldn't allow it.

"There are more civilized ways to let someone know you want to have a conversation," Addy said mildly, resisting the urge to rub her temple as she sidestepped the question. She refused to outwardly acknowledge just how much the pain was affecting her. He might mistakenly believe she was an easy target, and Adelaide Pratt was anything but.

"Agreed," the man said, moving to sit in the armchair facing her. "Unfortunately, I didn't think you would willingly leave your school with a stranger and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet you, Adelaide."

Okay. She now knew he at least knew her name. Whether or not he knew her full identity remained to be seen. "Clearly I am at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours."

He pinched the brim of his hat, tilting his head forward in a mini bow before removing his hat and setting it on the table. _Smooth_ , she thought. "Raymond Reddington."

Recognition flashed in her eyes. Her mother had never mentioned Reddington outright, but Addy had always been a curious child. She'd learned of her mother's previous relationship with the man ages ago. "I would say that it's nice to meet you, Mr. Reddington, but I'd hate to give you the impression that I enjoy being _manhandled_ as you put it."

Their eyes locked, and Addy could feel him scrutinizing her. She was sure he'd expected a frightened little girl. While Addy couldn't honestly say that she felt comfortable in her current situation, she certainly wasn't _frightened_. She imagined her quick wit was a surprise to the man as well.

"You don't seem too concerned about your current situation," he observed as he studied her intently. "You were taken from your school in the middle of the night by complete strangers, assaulted, and you're sitting there calmly, as if you're simply chatting with an acquaintance. Other children in your situation would tend to be scared."

To counter with a question or a statement? Addy briefly debated how she wanted to play this game. Statement won out. "You have no intention of hurting me," she told him with confidence. "Like you said, you wanted to meet me. Something about me clearly intrigues you. However, you have nothing to gain by hurting me." She paused to motion to the other occupant of the room. "If, by some twist of fate, you decided you wished me harm, that gentleman by the door would intervene. While I'm not certain how long you intend to keep me here, I'm far more interested in why I fascinate you so much."

Reddington smiled. "I get the impression that you are far more clever than your mother. You are correct, Adelaide. I mean you no harm, but I do wish to learn more about you. I've known Madeline Pratt for many years, yet I was unaware of your existence. It was quite a surprise to discover she has a child, much less a teenager."

"Mom tries to keep me out of the limelight. I'm not exactly a secret, but I spend most of my time bouncing from one remote, overpriced boarding school to another. I suppose the media hasn't had much of a chance to focus on the fact that I'm related to Madeline Pratt." Addy tilted her head curiously. "How exactly did you find out about me?"

"I was reading an article online about the charity gala two weeks ago and saw a picture of you with your mother. I'm not sure how Madeline keeps you out of the press. You are far more stunning than your mother ever was."

Addy arched a brow. " _That's_ not at all creepy…"

"I assure you there was nothing nefarious about my comment. I have no predilection towards pedophilia. However, a person would have to be blind to not notice your beauty."

She was sure that was supposed to be a compliment, but it still sounded weird coming from a middle-aged man. "Thank you?" she asked hesitantly, wincing at a particularly nasty throb.

"You are quite welcome." He paused to watch her intently, and she realized belatedly that he must have seen her wince. "I can tell you're in pain. I'm truly sorry for that. The men who picked you up were under strict instructions not to harm so much as a hair on your head. I promise you, they will be dealt with."

Addy had a sinking suspicion she knew exactly what he meant by 'dealt with' and it didn't sit easy with her. "That isn't necessary."

"In the meantime, as much as I would like to continue our conversation, I think it would be best to secure medical attention for your head," Reddington said, sidestepping her comment. "I want to make sure it isn't anything serious. I'm sure we can find another opportunity to chat."

"And what exactly is your plan? I don't suppose you have doctors or nurses on call here."

"No, but there is a hospital a little over a mile away from here. Dembe will drop you off on a side street and make sure you safely make it into the hospital. Your bound wrists and the bump on your head should help explain your absence from campus."

She appreciated that, she really did, since she had a reputation to maintain and she loathed the idea of ruining it, but Addy couldn't help thinking that she was screwed either way. Her mother would find out she had been abducted, and the little freedom Addy had enjoyed the past week would be gone. She wouldn't put it past Madeline to demand Harrison accompany Addy on campus at all times. It occurred to Addy just then that she hadn't mentioned Harrison to Reddington, but she felt it best to keep it that way. Just because Reddington wasn't an immediate danger to her didn't mean he wasn't a danger to others, and loathe as she was to admit it, Addy had grown somewhat fond of Harrison. Besides, Reddington didn't need to know _all_ of her secrets.

"Mom is going to go berserk when she finds out, but I can pull that off. I appreciate your help in keeping me out of hot water at school. As far as any of my schools have been concerned, I'm an absolute angel, and that belief of theirs allows me a certain level of freedom."

Reddington smiled. "I understand. We'll speak again soon, Adelaide."

Dembe took a few steps toward Addy, and she cautiously stood, testing her balance out. She felt a bit woozy at first, but after a few moments, she was steady enough to walk slowly toward the door, Dembe's hand on her elbow, providing gentle support. Just before reaching the door, she paused and turned to look back at Reddington. "Mr. Reddington?" When he met her gaze, she smiled. "You can call me Addy."

* * *

Addy rolled out of the side of the van onto a narrow patch of grass, grateful that she didn't have to do so on the sidewalk or the gravel street. It had been her idea. Dembe had been willing to help her out of the van and onto the street, but she didn't want anyone seeing Dembe and connecting him to her brief disappearance. He didn't deserve that, and being 'pushed' out of a van solidified the abduction story. Yes, she'd _actually_ been abducted, but her captor had let her go willingly, and that detail wasn't one Addy wanted to share with anyone else.

She landed on her shoulder and bit back a curse. The sudden motion left her feeling dizzy again, so Addy waited a moment on the grass before rolling over and managing to push herself to her feet. She staggered a bit as she made her way along the sidewalk toward the large red Emergency sign a block away.

Stumbling through the ER's patient entrance, Addy felt half a dozen eyes turn to her. She was sure she was a sight, with her wrists still bound and a lump on her head caked with dried blood. For a split second, she realized she'd underestimated her head wound. A strong wave of nausea and dizziness washed over her, and Addy barely croaked out a weak, "Help…" before crumpling to the ground.

This time, Addy awoke on a bed. White curtains surrounded her, and she could hear the hum of machines she couldn't identify. A woman in a white lab coat was standing beside her, and as Addy met her gaze, the woman smiled.

"You're awake," she said in a calm voice that Addy found soothing. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Addy…" she murmured, blinking slowly.

"How about your last name, Addy?"

It took her a moment to reply, her brain foggy. "Pratt… Who are you?"

"My name is Dr. Levy. Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital…" As the fog thinned just a bit, the night's events began to trickle back. Tilting her head to the side, Addy lifted her right arm a few inches, noticing an IV in the crook of her elbow and a pink band of hairless skin around her wrist. A sudden throb jogged another memory, and she dropped her right arm onto the mattress, this time lifting her opposite hand to finger the still present lump on her temple. As a sharp pain shot through her head, she winced.

"You hit your head pretty hard," Dr. Levy observed gently. "Can you tell me what happened?"

She vaguely remembered being attacked on campus, and meeting Raymond Reddington when she'd come to – but her head felt like it was in a haze, and she couldn't quite remember what she was supposed to share and what she was supposed to keep secret. Addy hated the feeling, and a few tears of frustration pooled in her eyes as she shook her head slowly. "No." She swallowed, her throat dry. "My mom…" she continued, struggling to form a coherent sentence. "She… she'll want to… uh…"

"Your mom is on her way. You had your school ID and cell phone on you. She said that in the meantime, a gentleman named Harrison Bergmann would be here soon."

Even in her present state, Addy wasn't surprised. She imagined she'd be seeing a _lot_ of Harrison in the near future. Still, she was a bit relieved that soon she'd have at least one person she knew there. She was fairly certain Raymond Reddington wouldn't have her abducted twice in one night, but now that the adrenaline had waned and her head was messing with her ability to be a step ahead of everyone else, Addy felt unsettled. She wasn't exactly thrilled with being stuck in the hospital alone, either.

She gave a slight nod to indicate she understood what the doctor told her.

"We're going take you upstairs for a CT scan and then we'll get you settled in a private room for the night."

A private room to herself sounded worse. Addy really hoped Harrison would be there soon.

* * *

Addy was relieved at spotting a familiar face as the nurse wheeled her into the private room. Just sitting upright for the two minute trek from the scan room to this room left Addy so dizzy that she felt nauseated, yet she still tried to stand the moment the wheelchair stilled. Her body swayed, and Harrison reached out to steady her before she fell.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he chided softly, lifting Addy off her feet and gently setting her on the hospital bed.

"I can walk…" she said weakly in protest.

Harrison shook his head as he stood beside the bed. "You aren't walking anywhere tonight. What happened to you, kid?"

Part of her balked at being called a kid, but at the same time, Addy imagined having an older brother might feel that way. She could almost pretend that Harrison cared, that she was more than just an obligation to him. "I'm glad you're here," she admitted in a soft voice, unable to avoid letting on that she cared at all.

"Of course I'm here. Did you think I'd just leave you here alone?" Addy gave a small shrug. "Now, stop avoiding my question. What happened?"

Another shrug.

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I know you somehow hit your head hard, judging by the size of that knot, but I'm pretty sure you aren't suffering from amnesia."

Even in her dazed state, Addy realized she'd shared far too much with Harrison in their first meeting. After close to two weeks, he knew her better than any of the others had. She shrugged again, hoping he might buy it anyway.

"Addy."

She closed her eyes briefly as she let out a soft sigh. "Someone g-g-grabbed me from behind at s-s-s-school," she stammered a bit. "He covered my m-m-mouth with his hand. I b-bit him, and he… he…" Addy sucked in a deep breath in frustration over her words not coming as easily as usual. "My head…" Pressing her eyes closed tight, she barely shook her head. "Don't want to talk about it anymore."

A warm hand gently squeezed hers, and she felt her eyes grow moist in spite of herself. "All right," she heard him say. "Just rest. You're safe now."

Addy wouldn't have normally acquiesced, but she was far too drained to argue. Tilting her head to the side, she took a slow breath, letting her mind rest as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Just get it over with."

Perched on a chair by the hospital bed, Madeline reached over to comb the hair back from Addy's face with her fingers. "Get what over with?" she asked, grateful that Addy was beginning to act more herself. She'd hopped on the first available flight, arriving just over two hours after receiving one of the most terrifying calls of her life. Upon reaching the hospital, she'd discovered that Addy was suffering from a concussion. Addy had been semi-conscious, and while Madeline could tell that Addy understood everything going on around her, she'd had some difficulty articulating her thoughts. It was now the following afternoon, and it seemed as if Addy's symptoms were lessening. Seeing the quick-witted, clever girl begin to emerge was an immense relief.

"The massive 'I told you so' I know you're dying to lay on me," Addy told her, relishing the attention. She had a few days at best, likely until the doctor gave her the all clear, and she was sure she'd just said goodbye to any sense of privacy for the immediate future, but with everything that had happened, she wasn't going to take this extra time with her mom for granted. "You were right."

"Adults don't sit around, looking forward to the opportunity to tell someone they were wrong," Madeline said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Of course they do," Addy said matter-of-factly. "They just don't want to admit it."

Madeline pressed a soft kiss to Addy's forehead. "Well, you won't hear those words from me today. How is your head feeling?"

"It doesn't hurt as bad. In fact, I'd say it feels ready to get out of this place."

"As soon as the doctor gives you the all clear, we'll get you discharged. You'll stay with me at the Four Seasons for the next several days so you can rest and I can figure out how anyone made it past the Winslow School's supposed top notch security."

Addy supposed a man like Raymond Reddington, who had exuded an aura of danger from the moment they first met, wouldn't be hindered by even the best private school security. She wasn't about to mention that to her mother. As far as Madeline knew, Addy had never heard of Raymond Reddington. Addy found it was better when people weren't cognizant of just how much she knew – they tended to underestimate her as a result, and that nearly always worked in her favor.

She had to make sure Harper knew she was okay – Addy didn't want the girl to worry – but she was glad for the extra time with her mom. Knowing Madeline, Addy imagined she could cajole her mom into quite a bit before the doctor pronounced her all better. She couldn't possibly pass up such an opportunity.


	4. Chapter 4

"Fancy meeting you here."

Madeline glanced over her shoulder, smiling at the unexpected face. "I wasn't sure when I'd see you," she admitted. "You left me waiting, again…"

Reddington walked to the opposite side of the small table and took a seat, a small smirk playing on his lips as Madeline took a sip of her coffee. "You conned me. Not many have achieved such a feat; even fewer have lived to tell the tale."

She chuckled, not at all concerned about her safety. "Did you come to scold me?"

"I saw a picture of you the other day from the One Earth Charity Gala," Red stated. "You were stunning, as usual."

"So you came to shower me with compliments," guessed Madeline.

"There was a girl beside you in the picture," he continued. "Your daughter, according to the caption."

Madeline nodded in understanding. She'd expected his undivided interest upon discovering Addy's existence, though she'd hoped to wait until Addy was a legal adult. She was really glad that Addy was back at the hotel, resting, and that Harrison was there with her. " _That's_ why you're here."

"Imagine my surprise. We've known each other for well over a decade, and I had no idea you even had a child."

She shrugged casually. "You never asked. I haven't kept her a secret. The press has taken her photo before."

"And yet, the paparazzi clearly aren't stalking her every move."

"Nor should they. Being my daughter doesn't strip her right to privacy. That isn't what has you in a huff, though. You're sore that I managed to keep something from you."

Red stared at Madeline in silence, not sure of what to say. She was right and he hated it, but he wouldn't dare admit as much to anyone. His relationship with Madeline had been far different from his relationships with other blacklisters. If anyone else had pulled one over on him, they would have ended up regretting it, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything that might cause Madeline harm.

"I'd love to meet her sometime," he said after a minute, choosing not to verbally acknowledge Madeline's last statement. He knew it was a silly thing to say, considering they'd already met, but clearly Addy hadn't shared that fact with her mother. He had to give the kid credit – she was good at keeping secrets.

Madeline laughed. "Not a chance in hell. She is pure and innocent; everything you and I are not. I refuse to expose her to our world, to _your_ world."

"She's clearly a teenager," Red pointed out. "You can't possibly tell me she has no knowledge of your _other_ career."

"She's been attending boarding schools since junior high. They keep her safe and prevent her from being sucked into that world."

Madeline recognized the irony of her words considering her child was currently holed up in a hotel recovering from being assaulted and kidnapped from a school Madeline had previously had the best security in the states. She'd already had a lengthy meeting with the school's headmistress to discuss the obvious holes in their security. Addy wouldn't like it in the least, but as part of her agreement not to involve the press Madeline had insisted that her own security team accompany Addy on campus. In addition to Harrison, Madeline had employed two other bodyguards who would rotate in shifts monitoring Addy any time the child left her dorm while posing as members of the Winslow security team.

Glancing at her watch, Madeline realized it was much later than she'd thought. "I have to go," she said softly. "I have a commitment I can't disregard." She finished the last of her coffee as she stood.

Red stood as well, that deceptively charming smile of his plastered on his face. "Allow me to get you another coffee before you go."

* * *

Madeline stepped through the door to the Imperial Suite she'd booked at the Four Seasons, slipping out of her shoes in the foyer before entering the living room. She smiled at the scene before her. Addy was curled up on her side on the far side of the sectional sofa, most of her body hidden beneath a blanket, fast asleep. Harrison was seated on a nearby armchair reading a book.

Summers and holidays really weren't enough, she thought sadly as she watched her daughter slumber, but she didn't see another solution. She was away on business far too often during the school year for Addy to stay at home, and it would be an insult to the girl to have her in a school close to home while she was still forced to live on campus. Madeline had been thoroughly impressed with the atmosphere at Winslow, which was one of the reasons she'd chosen that school – she wanted it to be a home away from home for Addy, a place where she felt cared for and safe.

"Any problems?" she asked Harrison in a low voice so she wouldn't wake Addy.

Harrison glanced up from his book. "Nope," he said, the corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile. "She was an absolute angel."

Addy would balk upon hearing them talking about her as if Harrison were her babysitter; Madeline was grateful Addy wasn't privy to this conversation. It occurred to her that she'd never sat down with Harrison and had the 'Addy conversation' with him – the one where she fessed up to the _challenge_ Addy posed to bodyguards. His hiring had been a quick process, and she hadn't wanted to scare him off so easily. Once she'd had Addy's promise to cooperate for a month, Madeline hadn't seen the need to scare Harrison just yet. Maybe she could even convince the girl to take her safety a bit more seriously.

Time was ticking, though, and in spite of the ordeal Addy had just endured, she had no illusions about her child. At the end of the month, Addy would no longer feel any obligation to let Harrison do his job, and the man deserved to know what he was about to deal with.

Madeline took a seat in the other armchair. "Listen, Harrison, there's something important that I want to talk to you about."

"I think I know where this is going," Harrison said. "I know Addy isn't actually an angel."

She wasn't completely sure they were on the same page, but she figured she ought to give him the opportunity to finish his thought. "Go on."

"Addy opened up a bit that morning I accompanied her on her shopping trip before the gala," he explained, the slightest hint of amusement on his face at the memory. "I know she chased off her previous bodyguards and that the reason she's cooperated so far is that she made a deal with you. I also know I have thirteen days left until all bets are off and she likely reverts to her old habits."

Madeline couldn't believe her ears. Addy had _admitted_ all of this to Harrison? _Willingly_? They couldn't possibly be talking about the same child. "Addy told you that? She's never said as much to any of her other bodyguards. Actually, I don't think she said much to them, period."

"She might have mentioned that her other bodyguards had been much older and ex-military," admitted Harrison. "I'm not old enough to be her father, so maybe that has something to do with it?"

It was a possibility. "Addy is ridiculously bright," Madeline admitted. "She was placed in the gifted program at her school in first grade. More than that, though, she's _clever_. I'm sure I haven't discovered even half of her tricks, but she always managed to slip away from her other bodyguards, no matter their glowing credentials. You know I've hired two others to help with security on campus, so you'll have help, but I'm not naïve enough to believe that having three bodyguards will be enough to stop Addy. I want to make sure you truly understand what you're up against when the clock runs out on Addy's promise." Madeline sighed, leaning back into the cushions a bit. "I haven't exactly been the best mother with Addy. I've been more of a friend than a parent and now with Addy away at boarding schools, it's hard to be a disciplinarian. I ground her when she screws up, but I'm afraid I'm not great at holding my ground in those situations. Grounding seems to have little effect on Addy anyway."

That didn't surprise Harrison considering what he knew of Addy's craftiness and the fact that her mother caved not long after imposing the grounding. He imagined Addy had ways of getting whatever she desired in spite of being grounded, all without attracting Madeline's attention.

"I know what I've signed up for," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

She was impressed with his conviction. Either he didn't really realize what he was in for or he was made of stronger stuff than the others had been.

* * *

"I have to head back to New York tomorrow," Madeline told Addy the following night as they sat around the living room eating pizza at Addy's insistence. She didn't want to leave, but she had a meeting Thursday and she knew Addy needed to get back to school.

Addy, who had been somewhat subdued since the kidnapping, nodded. "I know," she said. She had mixed feelings about returning to school. On one hand, she was going to miss her mother. It had been nice having someone dote on her; at school, Addy didn't have much of that other than the few times she'd caught a cold or some other illness. Even then, it wasn't the same as when her mom took care of her. On the other hand, she was dying to find out just how Raymond Reddington was going to get in touch with her. He'd said they'd speak soon. She doubted he'd have her abducted again. His displeasure over the way the men had treated her upon taking her from school had seemed genuine, and Addy had the feeling that Mr. Reddington was a dangerous enough man that she was a bit worried for the safety of those other men, despite the fact that they'd hurt her.

It was going to be more difficult, Addy surmised, with the addition of these two other bodyguards she was to meet in the morning.

"You'll return to your dorm, but the doctor gave strict instructions to refrain from classes until Monday. You can have a classmate bring you your work, but the moment your head starts to hurt you have to put that work away and rest."

Addy had no objections there. The lump on her head had flattened so that now she only had an impressive bruise, but she'd had a few headaches since leaving the hospital – mostly when she tried to read for more than thirty minutes at a time. She couldn't fathom spending all day in classes just yet. "Okay. Does the school know what happened?"

Madeline frowned. She'd gone over this with Addy already. "I went and spoke with the headmistress yesterday morning," she reminded the girl. "I told you after I returned. Do you remember?"

Addy shook her head lightly. She hadn't been clear. "I mean the other kids," she clarified. "Do they know what happened?"

"The headmistress told them that you were abducted but that you're safe now and that they've increased security so that the other kids are safe. She explained that you were injured but they've been instructed to respect your privacy."

She supposed the truth – or what her mother knew of the truth – was best. If she'd simply said that she'd gone to spend several days with her in-town mother, it wouldn't have explained her sudden absence on a Saturday night or the fact that she'd missed classes. Addy certainly didn't want anyone to think that any of this happened as a result of her breaking the rules. So far, Addy had been a model student.

"I wish you could stay longer," she admitted.

Madeline, who was seated beside Addy on the sofa, reached over to hug Addy close to her. "So do I. I'm going to plan a weekend in D.C. in a few weeks, and we'll see each other again then. Okay?"

It was an improvement – Addy had gone months without seeing her mother while in Europe. "Okay."

* * *

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

Addy smiled at her roommate. Harper had been overjoyed to see her upon returning to their dorm that afternoon. Addy was sure that part of it was due to the fact that Harper admittedly didn't like being by herself in the dorm, but she'd sworn she'd seen relief in Harper's eyes that had nothing to do with whether or not she was alone. Madeline had left a little over an hour ago, after staying long enough to ensure Addy was sufficiently settled. "A little banged up, but no lasting damage," she replied. "I wanted to let you know what was going on, but my mom was being a little overprotective and wouldn't let me near the phone."

"It's okay," Harper said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Mrs. Lyons explained everything. When are you allowed to go back to your classes?"

"Monday. I get headaches if I read too long, so the doctor said I have to rest a bit longer. Mrs. Lyons said someone would bring me my work from my classes the rest of the week so that I can catch up a little bit in-between naps." Addy yawned, already worn out from her return to campus. She hadn't admitted it to her mother, but she'd found her energy lower than normal since Saturday night. Addy wondered if it was another side effect of her concussion. "So, how bad is the gossip?"

Harper shook her head. "Everyone was a little startled that anyone bad could even get on campus, but there isn't a lot of gossip running around. I think the other girls from money are more concerned that they might be next." She offered a half-amused, half-embarrassed smile. "I suppose I don't have to worry about that, do I?"

She was fairly certain her kidnapping wasn't financially motivated, but Addy couldn't admit that to Harper. As far as anyone knew, she'd never left the van until her miraculous escape. With her wrists still bound, no one had questioned her story. She couldn't admit that she'd been taken by a man on the FBI's Most Wanted list who was fascinated by her mere existence because he happened to know her mother.

"Count yourself lucky," she murmured before yawning once more. "I've got to be honest, I don't think I'm going to last too much longer here."

Harper's eyes widened in alarm, but after a moment she relaxed as she realized what Addy meant. "That's okay. I'm going to go ahead and study a bit, but I'll keep the music down for you."

Addy smiled gratefully. "Thanks." Stretching out on her bed, she closed her eyes as Bach began to play softly from Harper's computer. It was a good thing, she thought sleepily, that Harper listened to classical music while studying.

* * *

"Why am I just now hearing about this?"

Lounging on her bed, Addy smiled softly at the concern in Corey's voice. "I figured you were busy," she offered, her cell phone pressed against the side of her face. Boredom had struck as she'd been forced to take a break from her schoolwork due to another headache. It hadn't been as bad as the day before, but it was enough to make her take a break. "Aren't you shooting some blockbuster in LA?"

"Do you honestly think I can't take five minutes out of my schedule to listen?" he demanded in her ear. "My god, Addy, you were _kidnapped_."

"And I'm fine now," she assured him. "I'm back at school and Mom is back in New York. I can't so much as walk to the common room on my floor without one of the muscle men following me. Your worrying is entirely unnecessary."

She could hear him huff through the phone. "Unnecessary… Someone needs to knock some sense into that hard head of yours," he muttered. "Are you allowed to have visitors at your school? I want to fly up there and see for myself that you're all right."

A warm feeling stirred in her chest. Corey was probably the closest thing she had to a best friend, and his concern was touching, even if she thought he was being silly. "I know you're a hotshot and all, but I doubt your director would appreciate that. Yes, I can have visitors, though they can't stay on campus with me, and you don't need to fly over here. I have Harrison and Musclemen 1 and 2 monitoring my every move." She refused to acknowledge her new bodyguards' names – as far as she was concerned, their employment for her mother was temporary. Once her promised time was up, she wasn't sure what she'd do regarding Harrison, but she sure as hell wasn't going to cooperate with those oafs.

"I'm flying there tomorrow," Corey announced, eliciting an eye roll from Addy. She fought not to laugh out loud as he immediately said, "Don't roll your eyes, Adelaide. I need to see with my own eyes that you're fine. I'll call you when I arrive."

She shook her head. She couldn't be mad at him, no matter how much she thought he was overreacting. "You're being ridiculous, Cor, but I love you anyway." A sudden beeping alerted Addy that she was receiving another call. Pulling the phone away from her face long enough to quickly glance at the caller ID, she noticed that the number was unfamiliar. However, her number wasn't listed, so it wasn't likely to be a solicitor or some other nonsense. Probably someone calling the wrong number, she decided, but she was curious enough that she wanted to know for sure. "Hey, someone's calling. Can I call you back later?"

"I'll call you after I've made flight plans."

"Corey…"

"You're not talking me out of this Addy. I'll call you back in a little bit."

Addy rolled her eyes again, but she pushed the button to accept the other call. "Hello?"

"Hello, Adelaide."

She recognized the voice immediately. "Addy," she corrected him in a mild tone. "Should I be concerned about how exactly you got a hold of my unlisted number?"

"Of course not," he replied in that smooth way that lulled you into a false sense of security. "As I have already assured you, I mean you no harm. How are you feeling?"

Did she want to take the honest route and admit just how much she'd been hurt or did she want to play it cool? "The headaches suck," she shared. "Being stuck in the hospital for a day sucked, too."

"I am truly sorry those men hurt you," he said. Addy could hear the sincerity in his voice. "I assure you, those men will not cause you any more harm."

She was half tempted to ask what he'd done to be able to make such a promise, but she quickly realized she really didn't want to know. "What can I do for you, Mr. Reddington?" she asked, hoping to discover the reason for his call.

"Call me Red," he insisted. "I'm surprised you didn't tell your mother about our meeting."

To Addy's knowledge, her mother hadn't spoken with Red in years, so she was curious how he knew she hadn't fessed up. "As you said, you mean me no harm. I have no reason to share details of our meeting with anyone else right now. Did you speak with my mom while she was in town?"

He sidestepped her question. "I know your mother has tightened up your security since that night. It will take some planning to find an opportunity for us to talk in person again."

Ten days, she surmised, until she was free to sneak away from Harrison or leave campus without alerting him. She'd have to get away from the musclemen, too, but Addy figured that would be an easier feat. She wouldn't feel guilty for pulling one over on them, but she suspected she'd experience more than a little guilt for doing the same to Harrison. He wasn't like the other bodyguards she'd had. Maybe it was the fact that he was closer in age to her, or perhaps the relationship she'd built with him. Addy certainly hadn't ever gotten to know any of her other bodyguards.

It was a little unnerving that this man knew about her bodyguards. At this point, he probably also knew about Harrison. His resources were amazing. Addy wondered if she would be able to keep anything from Red.

"It will be nice to talk when I'm not suffering from a concussion," Addy agreed.

"Is this the best way to reach you for now?"

Text and email weren't completely private, no matter the precautions she took, so Addy figured actual phone calls were the safest bet. She could easily mask the fact that she was talking to him if she found herself in an odd situation. "Yes."

"Well then, I shall call you again soon. In the meantime, make sure you get plenty of rest for those headaches."

"I will," she promised, slightly impressed by his concern.

"Until then." With a click, the call ended.

Addy closed her eyes. No, she didn't want to give Harrison a hard time, but she had far too many questions for Red to ignore him.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** I want to make it clear ahead of time that my knowledge of certain illicit activities (and what they entail) is limited. I can't say more without giving things away, but please keep that in mind if you're reading and you think, _that's not how you do that_. Thanks!

* * *

"I don't know how I feel about this, kid. You ought to be resting."

"I'm taking a rest from resting," Addy quipped with a smile. "Mom didn't say I was confined to my dorm."

"Your friend could come see you here," Harrison reminded Addy as he held the car door open for her.

Addy shook her head. "Bad idea. He's kind of a big deal to teenage girls, and it would be chaos the moment these other girls saw him. Trust me; meeting him at his hotel room will be much easier."

Harrison slid into the driver's seat. Starting the car, he turned to look at Addy in the back seat. "The moment a headache starts, your visit is over and I'm taking you back to school. Are we clear?"

She nodded, figuring that if a headache started she could just keep it to herself.

"Don't think you're going to lie about it if you get one, either," he warned, almost as if reading her mind. He watched in satisfaction as Addy's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

After a moment of shock, Addy sighed. "I hear you," she muttered as she fastened her seatbelt.

The ride to the hotel was silent while Addy mulled over Harrison's warning. It was a bit unnerving to think that he might actually be able to tell when she was lying about something. Surely he wouldn't actually be able to tell whether she had a headache if she didn't make a big deal about it. It wasn't as if he'd spent any time watching her suffer through headaches in her dorm room, and Addy hadn't left her room much since her return from the Four Seasons. The only time Harrison had seen her with a headache had been at the Four Seasons, and those headaches had been far worse than the one she'd had just this morning after working on a history assignment. She didn't dare mention that headache in case Harrison decided it was reason enough to keep her at Winslow.

Thirty minutes later, Addy stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor, followed closely by Harrison. She decided that the press must not have caught wind of Corey's visit yet, because she hadn't seen any photographers outside the hotel. Approaching a door bearing the suite number her friend had provided in a text message hours earlier, Addy reached out to knock.

Seconds later, the door opened to reveal a familiar face. "Long time no see…" Addy joked.

"Get over here," Corey said, reaching out to pull Addy into a tight hug right there in the doorway.

She rolled her eyes lightly as she hugged him in return. "It hasn't even been a month, and yet the way you're acting you'd think you hadn't seen me in years."

Releasing Addy, Corey took a step back, holding the door open. "Come on in."

"You seriously didn't have to fly all the way out here," she reminded him as she walked into the small suite, Harrison following suit. Corey closed the door behind them. "This is Harrison, by the way. Harrison, meet Corey Medina."

"Nice to meet you," Corey told Harrison, reaching out to shake his hand. After a moment, he turned his undivided attention back to Addy. "I didn't have to fly all the way out here?" he repeated. "That nasty bruise on your head says otherwise." Reaching over, he gently grasped one of her hands, lifting it enough so that he could better see her wrist. "What the hell did they tie you up with?"

"Duct tape," Addy said softly, looking at the nearly bare skin. Where the tape had been, she could now see a bit of stubble growing back, but it was still a stark contrast to the rest of her forearm. "I was unconscious when the doctors removed it, though."

"Right, because you were hit so hard on your head that you passed out not once, but twice," he drawled. Addy had previously shared with him that she'd blacked out at first when she was struck and then again at the hospital. He couldn't believe she was this cool and collected after having been assaulted on her school's campus. Sighing, he pulled her in for another hug. "I'm really glad you're okay," he murmured in her ear.

Addy smiled softly though he couldn't see it. "I'm happy to see you too, even if you're a huge worrywart." After several seconds, she pulled back and surveyed the suite. "Where's your muscleman? I know you're a hotshot, but I doubt your parents let you fly out here alone."

Corey nodded toward a closed door. "Brock has the adjoining room. Be straight with me, Addy. You're sure you're feeling okay?"

She smiled at him. "I'm feeling _fine_. Now come on. We have a routine any time we get together that cannot be ignored."

Laughing, Corey disappeared into the kitchenette. Half a minute later, he emerged with a bag of Oreos, a pint of chocolate ice cream, and two spoons. He set them on the coffee table. "Harrison, can I get you anything?"

Harrison was about to politely decline, but suddenly changed his mind. "A water would be fine."

Once he procured a bottled water for Harrison, who settled himself on a chair near the door, Corey gently tugged Addy over to the sofa. "I think _The Wizard of Oz_ is available to rent." He grabbed the remote as Addy sat, sinking onto the cushion beside her while she reached for the Oreos.

Just over forty minutes into the movie, Addy felt the beginning of a dull ache in her head. She should have known better, she reasoned – watching television for an extended period of time was nearly as bad as reading. Any activity that required concentration on a fixed focal point – print, television, computer screen – was likely to irritate her head. Shifting, she rested her head against Corey's shoulder, letting her eyes close for a reprieve. He wouldn't think anything of it, as she did that at least half of the time while they were watching movies, but she had to give her head a chance to calm down.

For a few minutes, all Addy could hear was the movie playing and the gentle rhythm of Corey's breathing. Then, out of nowhere, she heard Harrison's voice somewhere in front of her.

"Addy."

She opened her eyes so that she could see him. "Yeah?"

"Your head is hurting again."

It was a statement. She hadn't a clue how he'd figured it out – she was positive she hadn't winced – but Addy wasn't about to let him know that. "No it isn't," she insisted. "I'm just really comfortable."

" _Addy_."

She groaned softly as she sat up straight. "Come on, Harrison. I'm fine…"

"I told you earlier that if you got a headache you were going back to your dorm."

Corey shifted beside Addy so that was seated sideways on the sofa, facing her. "You didn't tell me you've been getting headaches," he said, his voice soft but serious.

"A minor inconvenience," insisted Addy. "The doctor said they can last for days, weeks, or even months. I'm fine right now though."

The older teen narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing his friend's face. After a few moments, he shook his head. "No, you're not fine. I can tell your head is bothering you. Go back to your dorm and rest."

Addy shook her head, even though it aggravated her headache. "I just got here, and I know you aren't staying in town for long."

"I have to fly back to LA tomorrow afternoon," Corey agreed, "but I'll find a way to visit you tomorrow morning before I head to the airport. I promise."

A small sigh escaped her lips. "Why don't you ever believe me when I say I'm fine?"

He reached out to give her a quick hug. "Because I know you too well," he replied. "Go. I'll call you later tonight, and I'll come visit you tomorrow."

"You'll cause mayhem on campus if the other girls see you," Addy reminded him.

"Anything for you," Corey said with a wink. "Go."

Her next sigh was much more dramatic, but Addy pushed herself to her feet. "You _promise_ you'll call?"

Corey traced his fingers in an 'x' over his chest. "Cross my heart."

She didn't want to leave, but Corey wasn't going to budge, and she still had an obligation to cooperate with Harrison. He and her mother probably wouldn't consider it cooperation if she refused to follow his directions. "I'm holding you to it," she promised Corey as she slipped on her shoes and trudged over to the door, Harrison once again on her heels.

* * *

Fingers slid across the laptop keyboard as Addy typed a name into the search engine. A split second later, a list of websites and an array of images, mostly of wanted posters, appeared on the screen. Scanning the websites, she didn't immediately notice any links that caught her attention. She'd read it all before, seen it all before. Pulling up a high resolution copy of the wanted poster, Addy studied the two pitiful photos provided for Raymond Reddington.

She'd seen these photos already, of course – back when she'd first researched the man upon discovering his connection to her mother. The photo quality was poor and the photos were years old, so she understood why she hadn't immediately recognized the man during their meeting. There was more to Red, however, and Addy craved that knowledge.

Before starting at the Winslow School, Addy had taken every opportunity she had to peruse her mother's things. She was sure Madeline thought her secrets were secure, unknown to her own daughter, but Addy knew every nook and cranny, every password and access code. If Madeline had physical evidence of something, Addy had already gotten her hands on that evidence. Still, she was just as certain that Madeline had secrets that didn't involve a paper trail, and Addy frequently kept her eyes and ears open for any hints that might reveal a new nugget of information.

Madeline's documented information on Red was limited. Addy knew of her mother's prior relationship with Red, though she couldn't nail down a timeline. Having already delved into that resource, she was searching for any other resources she might discover that could provide further insights. Considering Red had been on the FBI's list of their ten most wanted fugitives for years, Addy was fairly confident that the FBI had a treasure trove of information on the man.

One of Addy's many skills that her mother remained unaware of was hacking. She'd mostly stuck to smaller websites, the computer systems and networks at her schools, that kind of thing. Until now, she'd had no urge to set her sights on larger websites and systems. However, the FBI had information she wanted, and Addy wondered if she had the skills to hack the FBI without getting caught.

She couldn't risk the FBI finding out what she was up to, but even if she got past them, Addy had to make sure her school didn't realize what she was doing. Fooling the FBI would mean nothing if she ruined her good girl reputation – _that_ was what afforded her the freedom she enjoyed to do as she pleased (albeit currently with one or more bodyguards in tow).

Addy knew she'd have to set up precautions to help lessen the chance of being caught. For one, she would need to be off campus. She couldn't risk anyone at school seeing what she was up to, physically or electronically. She would also need to use a proxy to route her IP footprint elsewhere. The proxy would be easy, as she already had access to one that she paid for with a prepaid debit card her mother didn't know about. Finding a safe place off campus to do her dirty work would be much more difficult. While she knew Harrison would drive her around the D.C. area without much fuss, she'd need time to work without catching his attention either. That would be tricky. It would be so much easier if she could sneak off campus, particularly since working at night was preferable, but Addy still had a week left on her promise and had spoken to Red on the phone twice since that Saturday night. She needed to gather all of the information she could before their next face-to-face meeting, which she imagined would happen soon after her imposed cooperation period was up. She wasn't sure she could afford to wait a week to get her hands on that information.

Other people might be worried about how they were going to bypass the many security measures the FBI had set up to protect its information, but fortunately for Addy, she'd made a friend in Europe who had provided her with a program that would take care of those road blocks. She trusted that friend completely, so she wasn't concerned about the program backfiring against her or leading the authorities to her. At fourteen, she was fairly sure that short of murdering someone or releasing confidential government information, she wouldn't be tried as an adult were she caught, but all the same, getting caught by the authorities wasn't an option in her mind.

Addy definitely had some planning to do.

* * *

The idea came to her the following day.

Addy would talk Harrison into taking her off campus to do a bit of school work and studying. She was free to leave campus after her classes so long as she returned before curfew, and the fact that she'd spent a week cooped up in her room recovering provided the perfect excuse for a change of scenery. Craving Chipotle and not having one near her school, she'd convince Harrison to take her to a location in D.C. She'd enjoy her burrito bowl as she worked, and afterward she'd use the restroom before leaving. Addy knew from experience that Chipotle's restrooms were single occupant, so she could ensure some privacy. Her typing on her laptop wouldn't be heard from outside the restroom, and with luck, five minutes would be all she needed to accomplish her task. She'd return to Harrison with an excuse that her stomach had felt a bit off, but had since settled.

It was as close to perfect as she would manage. Now she just had to get Harrison to take her to D.C. for dinner.

* * *

She sat cross-legged on the restroom floor as far from the door as possible without being right next to the toilet. She was sure the floor was teeming with a bouquet of germs, but she'd shower upon returning to her dorm.

Laptop already loaded, she simply had to open it and key in her password as she set it in her lap. From there, she quickly got to work.

Her fingers flew almost silently across the keyboard. There were several layers of encryptions, security she had to bypass to be in. Considering the later hour, she hoped fewer people would be aware of her actions and that she'd get what she was looking for before anyone had a chance to block her on their end.

At just over four minutes, she breached the last wall and was in. If anyone tried to trace her IP address, it would bounce between continents before landing somewhere in Asia, leaving her protected for the time being. She wasted little time in entering Red's name and hitting search. Suddenly, dozens of documents were at her fingertips. There was no time to read them all now, but Addy saved them to a flash drive she'd entered in the USB drive seconds before. Once the last file had downloaded, she removed the flash drive, tucked it in a hidden compartment in her bag, turned off and tucked away her laptop, and upon standing went to flush the toilet for good measure. Having touched the floor, she made sure to wash her hands before walking out to Harrison's concerned expression.

"All you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she promised. "My stomach was feeling a little weird, but it's better now. I was thinking maybe we could stop by Ben & Jerry's for some ice cream before heading back to school. I'm craving some Cherry Garcia."

* * *

Raymond Reddington was rather comfortable in his armchair that morning, nursing a cup of coffee as he read the newspaper. A traditionally busy man, he had no immediate plans for the day and was a bit grateful for the reprieve.

The past few days, he'd been thinking about how he would meet Addy again. Talking to her over the phone had been nice, but there was so much more to learn about a person from their body language, and that couldn't be properly read over a telephone. Red was acutely aware of the challenges Addy's security team posed. Three bodyguards, from what he'd ascertained. Two seemed to remain on campus, working in shifts while posing school security. The third, Harrison Bergmann, primarily accompanied Addy any time she left school grounds. He had yet to see Addy leave campus without Harrison in tow, which he found interesting given her intelligence and personality. He would not have been surprised to discover that Addy regularly slipped past her security, but Addy didn't seem to mind having Harrison around. There had to be more to the story.

He might not have been quite as interested if Madeline had agreed to a meeting, but Red found it most unusual that not only had Madeline managed to keep such a secret from him, she was continuing to keep something from him by keeping Addy away from him. A tickle of a suspicion nagged at the back of his mind, but without learning more about Addy, he couldn't decide whether or not that suspicion warranted further attention. He was working on getting his hands on Addy's school records, but that was taking more time than he had originally anticipated. The Winslow School's security was impressive, even without the nudge he'd inadvertently provided.

He'd just turned the page when his phone rang. Lifting the small device, he smiled at the caller ID and set his paper aside. "Hello, Lizzie."

"Where are you?"

He frowned at once at the concern in her tone. "What's wrong?"

She sighed through the phone. "There was a security breach last night. Someone managed to hack into our systems."

Red could only think of a handful of people he knew who had the capabilities to hack a government agency. It was unlikely any of them would have been caught in the process. "Have you caught the hacker?"

"Not yet. That isn't why I'm calling, though. The hacker was very specific in his search. He only accessed files pertaining to you."

That made little sense to Red. He had enemies, sure, but they wouldn't gain anything of value from the FBI's files. He'd been very careful about what information he divulged to Lizzie and her coworkers, not only to make sure he retained his freedom but also to ensure that something like this never happened. Blacklisters with a vendetta against Red would surely know that the FBI wasn't the route to go if they wanted to get to him.

If it wasn't another criminal, though, then who…? His thoughts trailed off as a new thought replaced them. Was it possible? He could hardly believe it. It was a great deal of skill for such a tender age…

He needed to know for sure.

"Thank you, Lizzie," Red said. "I hate to cut this short, but I have an appointment I cannot reschedule."

"Wait, Red…" he heard through the phone, but instead of offering a further explanation, Red ended the conversation. He had work to do, and it couldn't wait another moment.

* * *

She tried to focus on the math problem before her, but it was just no use. Addy couldn't concentrate to save her life. She'd been adjusting well to being back in classes, and the headaches had all but diminished, but Addy's mind was far away that afternoon.

She hadn't had the chance to explore what she hoped was a treasure trove of information she'd obtained the previous night. Before she could look through it all, Addy had to make sure that she wouldn't be interrupted and that her laptop wasn't connected to the school's intranet in any way. While her laptop was customized with safety measures that would prevent others from being able to view her files, she wanted to be absolutely certain that her actions wouldn't come back to bite her in the butt later. Harper liked to study in the library after dinner, so that would be her best chance. Waiting until then wasn't exactly an easy task.

A soft ding notified Addy that she had a new text message. Grateful for the distraction, however brief, she unlocked her phone and pulled up the message. The sender was simply listed as a local phone number, but Addy recognized the sequence of digits. It was Reddington's phone number. She'd make sure she didn't add him to her contacts, just in case, but he'd used the same burn phone to contact her each time so she knew it was him. Addy couldn't believe he'd texted her; their previous communications had been phone calls so their conversations weren't recorded for someone else to peruse at a later date.

'We need to talk. Meet me in the chapel at 4:25.'

Had he actually managed to get on campus without alerting security? Addy was impressed, as the last time he'd sent his lackeys to collect her and that had been in the dark of night. Chances were he didn't intend to remove her from campus this time, as it was light outside and Addy knew there was no way for him to sneak her away without someone noticing. One of the first things she'd done, once she'd resigned herself to attending this school, was to get her hands on every map ever made of the school. She knew every building inside and out. There was a way out the back of the chapel, but in the middle of the day, it wasn't exactly sheltered from view.

Her musings took a backseat, though, when she glanced at the time on the phone and realized she had twenty minutes to get to the chapel. It was nearly on the other side of the campus from her dorm, so she didn't have time to waste. Slipping on her shoes, Addy grabbed her room key and phone and walked out into the hallway. She paid little attention to Muscleman 2 as he followed her down the hall, down the stairs, and out into the chilly air.

Addy tried to maintain a reasonable pace. She wanted to make it to the chapel on time, but she didn't want to give Muscleman 2 any reason to become suspicious of her movements. Grateful that her earbuds were still in her pocket from earlier in the day, Addy pulled them out and hooked them up to her phone, pulling up her playlist. Listening to music as she walked helped to calm her, and also made her look like a typical teenager.

As she neared the double doors to the chapel, she turned to look at Muscleman 2. She wasn't sure if he'd intended to follow her inside, but either way, she couldn't have it.

"I'd like some privacy to pray, please," she told him.

He seemed to consider her request for a moment before giving a short nod. Satisfied that she wouldn't be followed, Addy stepped inside the chapel. She spotted Reddington's hat at once, and quietly walked over to where he sat, taking a seat beside him on the pew as she removed the earbuds and paused the music.

"I'm impressed," whispered Addy. "How did you get in here undetected?"

Red glanced over at Addy, analyzing her expression. Nothing in her demeanor gave any indication that she'd been behind the FBI hacking, and yet there was a clarity in her eyes he hadn't seen that first night. Now that she wasn't suffering from a concussion, he could tell just how bright and clever this child was, more so than he'd originally thought. Call it intuition, but he was certain she could've pulled off the hacking.

"You can't do that again," he said quietly enough that he wouldn't be overheard if anyone else were in the chapel.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Addy said honestly.

"What you did last night was reckless," Red continued, the reprimand in his voice crystal clear. For now, she was nothing more than Madeline's daughter, but Red couldn't stand the thought of her getting wrapped up in their world. Surely she deserved better than that. "You cannot do that again, Adelaide."

She stared at him, and for a split second Red saw a flash of shock, confirming his suspicions. This wisp of a girl, this young teen, had managed to pull one over on the FBI. Madeline's skills were rooted in deception and theft, but she lacked the computer savviness of some of the other criminals in their world. Red wondered just where her daughter learned the skills she'd obviously needed to pull it off.

Addy opened her mouth to further deny any understanding of Red's words, but suddenly pressed her lips together, studying him in return. He knew. She wasn't sure _how_ he knew, but he did. He seemed less upset about the fact that she'd hacked information about him than he was about the fact that she'd done something blatantly illegal. His tone was almost admonishing, a detail Addy chose to zero in on instead.

"Are you scolding me?"

"Yes," he said simply. When she shook her head lightly in disbelief, he said, "If you'd wanted to know more about me, you needed only ask."

She gave him a look that made it clear she thought he was full of crap. "I may be fourteen, but I wasn't born yesterday. Besides, I know how to cover my tracks." She realized how ridiculous that sounded, considering Red had somehow caught her, but she doubted anyone other than him knew she was the perpetrator. Before he could call her out on it, she switched gears. "I need to go. Muscleman 2 is outside, and he'll become suspicious if I'm in here for too long."

Red nodded. He didn't want to give Addy's security team any reason to further tighten their watch over her. "Before you go, I want your word that you won't do that again."

Addy gave a small shrug. "Seeing as how I got what I wanted, sure."

"I don't simply mean them. I mean the activity itself."

"Why do you care? I'm fairly certain you've done worse, so don't you think you're being a bit hypocritical?"

Why did he care? Red knew damn well why he cared, but he couldn't share any of those reasons with Addy. He also made note of the fact that she seemed to understand just how dangerous he was, and yet she wasn't the least bit scared. He wasn't sure what to make of that. In any case, he wanted a promise from her, and a promise he was going to have. "Your word," he repeated calmly.

She rolled her eyes impressively, but relented. Honestly, she had no plans to hack anyone else anytime soon, and it wasn't a skill she practiced often in the first place. "Fine. I promise I won't do _it_ again."

Red nodded in approval. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon," he said amicably, as if they'd just been talking about the weather. "I'll call you soon."

Rising from the pew, Addy resumed listening to her music, her mind spinning. She was going to do everything she could to discover every morsel of information she possibly could about Raymond Reddington.


	6. Chapter 6

The dorm room door closed behind Harper as the girl headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. A quick glance at the bottom right corner of her computer screen revealed that Addy had exactly one hour and sixteen minutes until her first class began. It would take five minutes walking at a leisurely pace to get there, meaning Addy had over an hour to herself.

It was time to find out just what information the FBI had on Raymond Reddington.

Retrieving the thumb drive from a small locked box in the back of her sock drawer, Addy disconnected her laptop from the school's network and connected to the drive. One cleverly constructed password later, she found herself staring at a moderate list of files.

She kept an eye on the time, but after perusing four files, Addy felt frustrated. So far she'd found nothing noteworthy. They had his basic info – height, weight, hair and eye color, distinguishing features, so on. Then, there was a list of the crimes he'd allegedly committed. It was impressive, sure, but nothing she didn't already know. Either the FBI didn't have anything of interest to her or they kept that information elsewhere.

Had she completely wasted her time breaking into their system? Had she risked getting caught for _nothing_?

A handful more files later, Addy removed the portable drive, erased any history of her activity from the hard drive, and closed the laptop with an annoyed huff and more force than necessary.

According to her watch, Addy still had over thirty minutes until class started. It was enough time to grab a quick bite to eat, but she had little appetite and zero desire to be social with anyone. What really sucked was that she wouldn't have any time to herself the rest of the day. There wasn't time to escape during lunch, and Harper would be in the dorm room all afternoon. Addy wanted nothing more than to skip her classes and hide away somewhere, but her straight-A, goody two-shoes reputation (she smirked at the mere thought) was worth more than a temporary reprieve from people.

That option off the table, her next choice would be to escape, however briefly, after her classes were over. Harper wouldn't fret if she took an hour or two to make it back to the dorm, but the problem was, she had a muscleman shadow wherever she went on campus. To be fair, she hadn't _tried_ to give them the slip so far. Her recovery from the concussion had been more taxing on her energy levels than she'd ever admit to anyone.

She was feeling much better now, however. Certainly, she felt well enough to enjoy a brief adventure without the musclemen.

Reaching for her backpack and phone, Addy nestled her earbuds in her ears and turned on her playlist. She had some planning to do on her way to class, and listening to music would keep people from interrupting her thought process or suspecting her of being up to something.

* * *

Having detailed blueprints of every building on campus was helpful. After her last class of the day, Addy had slipped away from Muscleman 1 with more ease than she'd anticipated. She was almost insulted by the lack of effort involved. It was if her mother hadn't prepared them for her at all.

She settled by a particularly large oak tree a few hundred feet from the edge of the wooded area, placing her jacket on the ground before taking a seat and stretching her legs out in front of her.. She was still on campus, but secluded. Addy hadn't seen other students or teachers come out this way. It was one reason she'd chosen this spot. Muscleman 1 wouldn't likely look for her here, and if he did, it would take a while.

The chill in the air felt stronger as the minutes ticked by, but Addy didn't care. She wouldn't freeze in the next few hours, and she wouldn't be there that long anyway. She'd return to her dorm by 5 p.m., if she wasn't found before then. Addy was sure that Muscleman 1 would have contacted Harrison, as he was the next step up the food chain as far as they were concerned. While Addy was confident Harrison's tracking skills were probably higher than normal, considering the failures of her previous bodyguards, she also hadn't taken any steps to make it harder for him to locate her. Her cell phone, for example, was tucked in her pocket, fully charged and very much powered on. Surely trying to track her using the phone's GPS would be at the top of Harrison's list.

Leaning her head back against the tree trunk, Addy closed her eyes and let the crisp air and rare silence wash over her like a soothing wave. She didn't need music from her phone or a book to read to relax. The tranquil sounds of nature around her proved the sweetest music. However brief the moment, she was alone.

She wasn't sure how long she'd rested there, soaking up the serenity, but eventually Addy heard leaves crunching under the weight of something too large to be an animal. Taking in a slow, deliberate breath, she could faintly make out the smooth undertones of a familiar cologne.

"I figured you'd find me sooner or later," she murmured without opening her eyes to confirm her visitor.

The crunching sound stopped a few feet to her right, but a reply to her statement didn't come. After several long seconds of silence, she sighed and opened her eyes, twisting her head to look up at Harrison. The expression on his face was unreadable, something Addy hadn't thought was possible.

"I could have been anyone," he said after a moment, a little surprised that Addy seemed completely unperturbed by his presence. He'd thought Addy would expect to see Craig instead.

"My luck would have to suck for someone to happen upon me out here," Addy replied. At Harrison's frown, she sighed. "I knew it was you. I recognized your cologne."

Harrison wasn't sure how that was possible out in the forest, when he'd applied the cologne sparingly early that morning, but it wasn't important. "I thought you kept your promises," he said with a raised brow.

"I do," Addy said calmly. She knew he was referring to her month-long voluntary moratorium on escape acts. Chances were, he wouldn't be thrilled with her answer, but facts were facts. "My agreement with my mom pertained to you. I made no such promise in regards to Musclemen 1 or 2." The brow arched further, and Addy shrugged a shoulder as casually as she could muster. She wouldn't let him talk her into feeling bad; she wouldn't! "Besides, I didn't leave campus. I was feeling a bit cramped and needed an hour or two to myself, away from everyone else."

He couldn't deny that Addy could've easily left campus before he'd had the chance to catch up with her. He also had to wonder about the fact that he'd been able to track her phone. Surely a kid adept at slipping away from her security unnoticed would take precautions such as turning off her phone or leaving it behind in her dorm. It wouldn't even surprise him if he found out she had a burn phone tucked away somewhere.

Studying the teen, Harrison had to conclude that Addy had expected him to find her. Perhaps it was even her unspoken way of saying she hadn't intended to completely escape. "Their names are Craig and Tony," he reminded her, "and your mother hired them to make sure you stay safe while you're at school."

Addy sighed. She couldn't explain to Harrison why she was unconcerned about the possibility of another attack or abduction. While she hadn't heard anything on the news, she was certain that those men would never hurt her – or anyone else for that matter – ever again. Reddington would have had them eliminated, if he hadn't pulled the trigger himself. He had made it clear how he felt about their treatment of Addy that night.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," she offered softly.

 _Huh_ , he mused to himself. Harrison didn't imagine that Addy apologized often, particularly to anyone her mother hired to keep her safe. What's more, while he was sure Addy wasn't sorry that she'd slipped away, her concern for him seemed genuine. "Thank you," he said. "I'm not the one you owe an apology, though."

"Musc… _Craig and Tony_ ," Addy amended at the expression on Harrison's face, "leave me no room to breathe, much less act like a normal teenager. The only time I have any privacy is in the bathroom or my dorm room, and even then it depends on whether or not Harper's there."

Harrison shook his head. "I don't understand, given everything that has happened, how you aren't more concerned about your own safety, but I suspect there's something you know that the rest of us don't." Addy pressed her lips together, unable to deny it but unwilling to admit it either. "Am I going to have to worry about you in a couple of days when the month officially ends?"

He was sure he already knew the answer, so when Addy watched him silently for several moments before admitting in a soft voice, "I don't know," Harrison had to hide his shock.

"You don't know?" he repeated, certain he'd misheard her. At her nod, he decided he had to ask. "Why aren't you sure?"

She wasn't ready to admit that she liked him, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to admit that she didn't hate him. "You don't suck."

Harrison laughed before he could catch himself. "I suppose I'll take that as a compliment." He reached down, extending his hand so he could pull her to her feet. "Come on. I'll escort you back to your dorm room."

"I know the way," she reminded him as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"Of course you do. I'm still escorting you."

She rolled her eyes, wanting to make sure he knew exactly where she stood on being followed around, but Addy fell into step beside Harrison as they headed toward the edge of the woods. If she had to have an escort, Addy much preferred Harrison over the others.

* * *

Leaning back in the armchair, Reddington crossed one leg over the other and set the file folder Dembe had delivered moments ago on his lap. He lifted the front of the folder, eager to finally gain some insight into the teenager who had fascinated him in the short time since their first meeting. Madeline wasn't an option, not if Red wanted to continue to talk to Addy. If the girl's mother had any inkling Red had gotten this close or was this interested, she'd whisk her away to some faraway private school. Having to track Addy down again would be a major inconvenience. Addy herself wasn't a great source of information, as it seemed the teen was far cleverer than anyone gave her credit for and was quite careful with her words. That left Addy's school records, which he'd finally obtained.

The first page held basic biographical information. Full name, birthdate and place, parents' names, home address. According to this, her full name was Adelaide Amelia Pratt. It sounded like the kind of name Madeline would have come up with. A father wasn't listed, but then again, Red hadn't expected one to be. Madeline had brief, passionate romances, but she hadn't ever really settled down with someone. Besides, Addy had her mother's surname. Surely if her father were in the picture, Madeline would've given the kid her father's name.

Her birthdate was what had interested Reddington the most, though. Madeline's insistence on keeping Addy from him had left a twinge of suspicion, and he'd needed to find out whether that suspicion was warranted. Reading the birthdate given, Red mentally counted back, coming to a rough estimate of Addy's conception. Just like that, his suspicion grew tenfold. If his estimates were correct, Addy had been conceived right around the time Red and Madeline had first connected.

Based on that timeframe, there was a good chance Addy was his daughter.

Recalling their previous encounters, Red couldn't say he'd seen any of his own features in her face, but then, why would she? He wasn't born with his own features, and he'd lived in his current face so long he couldn't clearly remember those original features. She somewhat favored her mother, but even then, Addy wasn't a replica of Madeline. There were features she must have inherited from grandparents on either side.

Her personality and intelligence, though – Red could vividly imagine any child of his and Madeline's possessing Addy's intelligence.

The only way to be sure would be a DNA test or Madeline's testimony, and Madeline clearly wouldn't admit if that were the case. DNA was it, but he'd need a sample of her DNA before he could run it. Also, he'd need someone he trusted to conduct the test and destroy evidence of his own DNA afterwards. Even then, if a positive match came back, Red wasn't sure he wanted to reveal that information to Addy. Being his daughter would put a target squarely on her back, and despite her skills, she wasn't ready to protect herself from his enemies.

Red supposed he'd need to find an opportunity to meet up with Addy again, off campus if possible, the sooner the better. By then, he was sure he could come up with a way of obtaining a decent sample of Addy's DNA without alerting her to his suspicions. Maybe he could even gleam some more information from her he hadn't obtained in her school file. He could always worry about whether or not to let her in on the secret after he found out whether or not there was in fact a secret.

* * *

"I'm going to the library for a few hours to study. Wanna come?"

Addy glanced up from her laptop to offer Harper a smile. "I'm finishing up this paper for English, and then I think I might rest for a little while. Thanks for the offer though."

Harper frowned. "Is your head still hurting?"

"Nah," Addy replied honestly. "I haven't had a headache in days. I'm just tired. See you at dinner?"

The girl nodded, her frown relaxing into a small smile. "See you at dinner."

As Harper slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for the door, Addy turned her attention back to her paper. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so drained that Saturday afternoon, but her bed was definitely calling. Addy just wanted to make sure the rest of her homework for the weekend was completed before she allowed herself to take that much needed break.

She'd just put a period at the end of her last sentence when her phone rang. Glancing down at the number, Addy wondered whether she was going to get a chance to take that nap after all. She made sure her essay was saved and closed before moving to answer the call. "Hello."

"Adelaide, how lovely to hear your voice this afternoon. How are you?"

"Addy," she reminded him, rolling her eyes even though he couldn't see the movement. "We've been over this."

She swore she heard him chuckle through the phone. "Addy," he amended. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"

"Your timing is… interesting," she confessed. He'd called just as she'd finished her work, which was good, but whether or not she was going to get any rest remained to be seen. "What's up?"

"I thought you might be interested in meeting again. I have some questions for you, and I'm sure you have some questions for me."

Rising from her desk chair, Addy moved to stretch out on her bed. "I have a few free minutes now. Ask away."

"I must admit that I prefer face-to-face conversations. I have a feeling you have a similar preference."

Addy couldn't deny that she liked being able to speak to someone in person. There was so much to gleam from a person's facial expressions and body language that weren't always audible in their voice. Unfortunately, Addy wasn't sure how soon she'd be able to get away from campus. No, scratch that. She was Adelaide Pratt. She could get away in her sleep if need be. She wasn't sure she _wanted_ to pull an escape so soon. The end of her commitment to Madeline and Harrison had passed quietly, so Addy was no longer bound by any promise to cooperate.

Still, she wasn't sure she wanted to cross Harrison. Addy doubted he could do anything more than any of the other bodyguards had been able to do. Telling her mother that she was being uncooperative wouldn't do anything – Madeline wasn't there to pretend to ground her. But unlike the previous guys, Harrison didn't treat Addy like a paycheck or a burden. He treated her almost like a sister. He willingly drove her where she wanted (within reason, of course), and called her out when she tried to pull something past him (Addy thought back to that afternoon with Corey when Harrison hadn't let her hide her headache). Even that afternoon when she'd given Muscleman 1 the slip and Harrison had found her, he'd gently admonished her behavior but not once had he acted like she was inconveniencing him.

Addy didn't know if she could bring herself to knowingly inconvenience him by sneaking off campus.

"You aren't wrong, exactly," admitted Addy. "Meeting on campus for more than a couple of minutes would be near impossible, though, and I'm not sure how soon I'd be able to slip off campus."

"The security detail your mother has for you is impressive. Still, I get the impression there's something you aren't saying." He paused, as if waiting for Addy to confirm this, but she waited in silence. "No matter," he continued amiably. "I'll think about it for a day or two and come up with a plan."

She couldn't help feeling concerned that his _plan_ might end up as messy as his plan to meet her the first time. "That plan won't involve masked men abducting me, will it?"

"That will _never_ happen again," he said at once, and Addy heard a hard edge to his voice. "I promise you that, Addy."


End file.
